I'm considering a new gun for the upcoming season due to the new lease I was lucky enough to stumble on. It has some nice flat, open fields and I'm looking at some 200+ yard shots. What is your favorite caliber for deer for those 200+ yard shots?

I've never shot a deer at over 100 yards. But I use a 30-06 for most of my hunting. It is said that an '06 is never a wrong choice.

How far past 200yds are you expecting to shoot?

Not over 400

One could never go wrong with a 270…..a pure hunting round designed by Winchester to kill big game animals at long ranges.

Then I'd say anything between a 6.5CM and one of the WSM chamberings. Something pushing a .400BC+ spitzer of 120-165gr at 2,700 to 3,100 or so. That's a pretty big spread, but they'll all work.

What's more important is having a reasonable degree of accuracy, a sound method for calculating shot impacts at the various ranges, and some quality time on the trigger at distance. It's no thing, really, to wear out the 200/300/400yd gongs with a sporter in 6.5, or 7mm-08, or 308, when you can plot the impacts. Some use BDC-style reticles, some use turrets, and some use scorching velocity with minor holdover. It all works if you practice it.

well my favorite caliber is 25 , my favorite cartridge is 257 Weatherby mag i shoot a 100 gr, Nosler partition 3800 fps and no out to 400 yards a 6.5 Creedmoor doesn`t - not - nope -no - never = out shoot this cartridge for deer in those ranges,

7mm RM
280AI
280
270
30-06
25-06
300 Win Mag
257 Weatherby
270 Weatherby
7mm Weatherby
264 Win Mag
6.5-06 AI

And then - Nosler cartridges, 8mm RM, 300 Weatherby

Having too much power or too flat shooting is better than too little power or rainbow trajectory.

I have or had many of those chambered rifles. I think all would work. If I knew the shots would be possibly 400 yards and I wanted to stick to a commonly found on the shelf, I’d pick either the 7mm RM or the 300 Win Mag.
I normally don’t shoot 400 yards at game any more though.

This last year I was watching a pond and out of a corner of my eye I noticed a deer standing still. I had not taken my range finder with me and I estimated the range to be 350 yards. I had a 308 Win and I knew the trajectory of the load, I took the shot. The bullet went under the lungs. The range was close to 425 yards. I filled my tags later. I did not expect to need a range finder - I did.
If you’re shootings at those distances don’t [bleep] up like I did, take a range finder along and know the trajectory of your load.

My favorite is this 25-06 Remington 700 CDL with the 6x Leupold. Typically I'll handload 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips to 3150 fps. I've taken most of my mule deer over the past 15 or 20 years with it at ranges from 20 yards to 400 yards. Mild recoil, good accuracy. But honestly, there are many different cartridges that will do just fine.



Regards, Guy

My 25-284 or 257 Wby

GreggH

My favorite rifle for hunting deer and everything else I'll ever hunt is my push feed Model 70 Featherweight 7X57. It's topped with a 1980s vintage Burris 4X scope. All I load it with are 160 grain Nosler Partitions and a stiff load of H4350 powder in R-P cases and WLR primers.

You pretty much could use most anything in a loading book save a few straight walled or some smaller .22 cartridges

The world is your oyster

No question. The .25-20.

Personally, I think a 270 with 130s or a 270wsm with 140s is the answer. Having said that, I have used and wouldn’t think twice in the future about using a 7MM-08 with 140s, 308 with 150s, 30-06 with 150-165s, or the 7MM and 300 mags with mid weight velocity appropriate bullets. Hell, some of my longest shots on deer and antelope have been with a 338/340wby and 200 to 210g bullets. The choice is not as important as an accurate rifle and shooter. The answer for longer range shooting is always to use a rest of some kind (shooting sticks, tripod, tree, rock or pack). Get out and practice shooting from field positions.

I'm a 7mm guy. 7mm-08 and on up. Wouldn't mid someone coming along and chambering a rifle in 7mmBR just to play with.👍🏻

Boy we just love to over think things......
What do you own now?

How much beyond 200 yards? That is not very far for most deer cartridges .. bottlenecked cases for bolt action rifles. Among those you'd have to work pretty hard to find one that is not going to get the job done. If it's only a smidge over 200 yards, a good .30-30 will get the job done. A few straight cased cartridges will be ok even, .38-55 or .45-70 can make it with practice.

Today I'm shooting a .308. Not my favorite cartridge by a long shot, but mine is accurate. It is 5-3/4 pounds, scope and all, and gave me a nice 1.34" group at 320 yards sighting in last year or the year before. Hard to argue with. My favorites would probably be .257 Roberts but anything bigger will do.

Probably a max of 400 yards for me

I went through this about 10-11 years ago, and after looking at everything that was available- I went with a .270 Weatherby. I don’t think it was the wrong choice, either. Then again- neither would a .264 Winchester, or a 7mm Remington Magnum, or a .300 Winchester. Depends on if you want to be able to buy ammo off the shelf, or if you like to hand load- then again, the brass for Weatherby’s is more expensive, so either way you could take that into consideration, but in the grand scheme of things, I feel like that is inconsequential.

What everyone above said is true- pretty much anything will work, but I think I know where your head is at- you want something that is the best tool for the job at hand. Get a fast, flat shooting cartridge and learn where it shoots and the system you decide to use with it (adjustable turrets, BDC reticles, or KY windage), and you’ll be just fine. Just don’t buy a 6.5 CM- that would be silly.

The 675 mega blaster

.243 will kill deer DRT and 22-250 doesn't play games either.

Although I use a 6.5 CM and a 243 these days, there has never been a better deer cartridge ever made than the 270 Winchester. If I knew that every deer I'd get a shot at would be in the over 200 yard range, I'd pick the 270 every time.

Very long list of cartridges that would work, might be easier to name those that won’t.

Get a good laser range finder. It’s far more important than the cartridge. Anything from 243 on up will work fine. I like a 270 with 140AB pretty well for what you planning to do but there are many many good choices. You could even get a CDS or turret scope if you’d like but really not needed for the ranges you’re shooting.

I try to zero at 200 yards. With a scope. 85 to 100 with iron sights

Except for the 45/70, 50 cal muzzel loader, 444, 38/55, 30/30 , 35 rem, 32 WS,12 ga slug, 20 ga slug, 22 , 22 mag.

They’re zeros are a little closer.

These have 200 yard zeros:

300 sav
284/win
356 win
270 win
3006
308 Norma
308 win
708
7 mag
6.5 x 55
7x57 8 x57

I like my 25/06 or my 270 Winchester, but recently bought a 7/08, and am looking forward to see how it does.

7mm-08 is my go to deer caliber, i have a numerous other calibers including 280s, 308s 257 weathebys and so on but i grab my little model 7 7mm-08 99% of the time

243 with 105s, 6.5 with 147s or 7mm with 180s.

Lots of good cartridges listed here. Anything from a 243 on the low end to a 300 mag on the top end. 200 yards is not that far. What's more important is what you are most comfortable with and what you shoot the best. Or I should say what you are most accurate with. For example, a 7mm mag will shoot a 140gr bullet fast and flat. But if you don't tolerate recoil well that might not be the best choice for you. Maybe a 25 06 or a 6.5 creed would work better. Deer are not hard to kill. just use a good bullet and put it in the right place. Personally I deer hunt with a 260, 6.5 Creedmoor, 270, 7mm 08, 280 AI, 300WSM. All very good calibers easily capable at 200+ yards. If I had to pick just one I guess it would probably be the 270.

CrazyCoot: The answer to your inquiry is.... the 270 Winchester.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

270 Winchester is my go to caliber. Never lost an animal and most are DRT.

A 7-08 or a 260 Rem would be high on my list

Crazycoot, do you handload? If you do, what caliber you can load, set up for? Got the components, etc?

Crazycoot, reason I ask this… you are using what now? You may have the gun you need already. Got ammo for it? If not shot a lot pass 200 yards you going to need to practice out to whatever and that going to take ammo…and have you got it and on and on. Give us an idea here of what you got…. if you think you can’t find ammo for all these calibers been suggested the gun you are buying do you no good. Again, do you handload ?

Not the caliber, but the gun. Lots of calibers or cartridges will shoot great at 200 +
I feel most confident at those ranges with my 300 Win Mag.

No, I don't handload.

Like several others have said, .270 is hard to beat. I myself like .25-06

I don't think it matters much

Lots of good ones out there. My favorite is 270

I use a .270 wcf for my sheep hunting, sheep season runs concurrently with the general multi species season here.
I have used many others, but cycled back after seeing no appreciable advantage with bigger chamberings.
Just use a suitable bullet. The selection is pretty wide.
The 150 Partition is my first choice these days.

Then the answer is easy. 308 Win.

Ammo for that is available again and should stay that way. With a 150-165 grain bullet and a 200 yard zero, you can hold on hair all the way out to 400 (if you are a set and forget shooter). Lots of great gun options to pick from as every manufacturer chambers their budget and premium offerings in 308.

Easy-peasy

For the non handloader the new cartridges, Creedmore, prc , etc. offer generally better ammo from the factory. You said out to 400 yds. so not too far and it being a lease I am assuming a stand or at least all shots can be taken from a good solid rest. 200-400 yds can be easily covered by literally all but the average short range guns. A laser ( sigsauer makes an inexpensive but good laser) are needed to eliminate guessing. Once you know range and know your guns trajectory it is all quite simple. Whether you make adjustments to your shot by hold or a reticle or even turning knobs is up to you. All that said , In your situation anything from a 243 up should be fine.

Tell us what you’re using now so we call all say keep using it.




P

308 Win. Long range.
Less than 200, my favorite is the 250-3000 Sav.

It's not rocket surgery. Pick almost any deer cartridge that you've heard of in the last 100 years.

7 Mag with Nosler 160 A/bond or 168 ABLR at 2900-3000 fps depending on the rifle.

This one is my favorite -

I am of the same thought on the .250 Savage, my initial plan was using the .250 Savage as a 100 yard or less tree stand rifle. My first 3 deer killed were taken from a lasered 177 to 342 yards. All 3 deer died quickly.

The 25-06 stays home now.

A vote for the 270 or 7mm RM, both personal favorites.

6 x 47 L. 105gr hvld

The 30/06 is NEVER a bad choice. Put a Burris Fullfield II-- 3x9 ballistic plex and go hunting. You're set for life.

My favorite of all my hunting rifles too. Mine wears an older Leupold 3x9 Compact.

But if I’m expecting longer range shots, I’m going with my Remington Classic 700 264 Win Mag. With a 125 gr Partition, I’ve taken multiple antelope, mule deer, whitetails, and no telling how many feral hogs out to 400 yards with it.
And a truck load of coyotes with a 120 gr Ballistic Tip.

Furthest kill with my 7x57 Featherweight was probably 275 to 300 yards with a 140 Partition. Not that it won’t shoot further, I know my 264 Win Mag is just flatter shooting. Guess it gives me confidence since I’ve made most of my longer shots with it.

I originally bought 270 as my deer rifle and have bought few other calibers since then. I still reach for the 270 as my main deer squeeze. 140s just shy 3050fps will reach out and touch them.
I also have the 6.5 which has nice low recoil and have also used for deer. Much cheaper over the counter vs 7-08.
I also really like shooting the 7.62x39 and with in 200 yards it would be just fine.

7 WSM is my favorite do-everything cartridge.

Plus 1.

Got that right. All one of my buddies ever uses on deer is a 22-250. Deer are not hard to kill... I'd buy a new fast twist 22-250 and play around with some heavies.. I'm limited to what I can run in my 1 in 12 and 1 in 14 twist rifles, but even the lighter pills whack deer pretty good. 55gr Hornady interlocks come to mind... For the op's requirement of 200 yards. Damn near anything will work.

The 25.06 with a 120gr bullet.

300 WSM

308 win or any member of the family. 243 is a great choice but none of them will be bad for what you want. There is no need to jump up to the 06 family or any of the magnums. 223 might be bare minimum unless you're surgical with it but the 22-250 should have enough speed to do what you want. If you're not a handloader then go with something that's available

Q: Would you prefer a short action or a long action?

7-08
25-06
.257 Roberts
7x57
.243
.358 Winchester w/ 180gr Speer
6.5x55 Swede
.325 WSM with a 150 grain bullet

I shoot all of the above and a few more that will easily make 200 yard or longer shots on deer if you are able at that distance. .32 WS , 30WCF, 38-55 W , .32 Remington, .35 Remington ,.30 Remington will also all make a deer dead at 200 yards but do their best work at 150 or under .

My feelings on the matter are that whatever you choose to use, you need to be shooting it a lot. Up to 200 yards is pretty much a chip shot on deer with anything like a reasonable deer caliber. It's out past that that things start getting tricky with regard to trajectory and wind. No matter what we like to think, most reasonable, modern deer cartridges don't perform that much differently from 200 to 400 yards. Personally, if I'm going to be hunting where I don't have opportunities past a hundred yards or a little more, I might use .45-70 or .303 Savage (or one of the "flat shooters." When the opportunities might show at 200 or beyond, I will go with .223, .25-06, 6.5X55, .308 or .300 WSM. They all work if you work with them enough.

Favorite???

There’s so many that would work well.
I like the 30-06 basic case, so 25-06 to 35 Whelen.
But a 257 Weatherby l through 358 Norma Mag work.
On a 57 mm case most will work 6mm Rem, 357 Roberts, 6.5x57, 7x57 and maybe 7.92x57
6.5x55 & 260 & 6.5 Creedmoor & the 243
On a 308 case I’d pick 7mm-08 or 308.

My personal favorites include 270, 280, 280AI, 30-06 & 7mm RM.

But the 270 Weatherby might be a nice choice and is pretty flat shooting.

Good choice, I have done it a few times over 250yds with 130gr BT also the 270wsm same bullet but my furthest shot at just under 400 was with my 284win and 140 nosler BT

.264

.243, 7/08, .25.06 are my favorites. I may try my .223/5.56 this year, I had shoulder replacement surgery.

I have and use any one of the following calibers and handloads without hesitation on deer and pigs well past 200 yards.

Browning A-bolt .270 with 130 gr. Speer Grand Slam
Browning 1885 in 7RM with 145gr. or 160 gr. Speer Grand Slam
Remington 700 Ti in 7 RSAUM with 140 gr. Barnes TTSX
CA Mesa in 6.5 PRC with 130 gr. Sirocco or 130 Accubond
Barret Fieldcraft in 6.5X55 with 130 gr. Accubond

Couple years ago I acquired a early 70'era, M70 FWT pushfeed 7x57 that I am considering using as my primary GoTo Shooter for up to 250/300 yard shot's on WT's & hog's for next year as it is light, and fits me well, better than the other 3 deer shooters on hand, with not much recoil in either S&B 140 gr'ers & the box of Hdy 129gr SST's I stumbled onto, which is a good thing with my 77 year old bum right shoulder, "a gift of the Dallas VA surgical team" 10+ years ago. .

I picked this rifle up in a trade sight unseen when the very old friend dealer could not sell the rifle for a couple years 'casue he was asking TOO MUCH Money. It has been "tuned" but is still 100% factory finished ie all the metal on metal connections have been lovingly slicked up super smooth and re bedded to eliminate some leftover factory high spots. So as I'm going to break out the reloading stuff this spring for some other calibers & bullet weights, I've also bought a couple box's of 7mm Hndy 139gr'ers + a variety of Spitzers + found a box of 7mm 120 spitzers in a garage sale & traded for some 7mm 129gr & 139 gr SST's too.

So...My ? is what bullets to look at 1st for use as an every day 200 yard practice & mebbe hunt with too. I'm leaning towards using the leftover trade goods spitzers to start with, but hunting with one of the SST bullets, depending on accuracy in one or the other.

My other on hand shooters are a cherry clean Tikka Swede, and a pair of 270's in a Marlin MR7 SS/composite & and a Portugal finished M70, both of which shoot decently when the shoulder is not a problem. Ya'lls thoughts and comments appreciated.
Ron

[quote=Poconojack]

This

Through all the BS the last few years, 308, 30/06 and 300win mag ammo of some flavor was available at our local hardware store. My brother ran out of 7mm RM and couldn't find any between south FL and south GA. I wouldn't even consider a short mag of any type and Hornady really screwed the pooch with the 6.5prc. Even now 30/30, 32 spl and 35rem is still unable around here.

When you say 200+ what is the +?

Another vote for the 270 Weatherby magnum......the rifles are accurate, the triggers are decent to great, the factory ammo is great {and not too expensive these days, like it used to be}. Maybe it's just me or the rifles, but it honestly feels like the magnum kicks less than my 270 Win!!!
Plus, at your ranges you wont really have to go home if you accidentally forget your range finder. The 257 Weatherby is another good one that works fantastic for what you are doing. I have owned and hunted and killed and missed with them all....

Depending on what the + is, 270 Winchester or 257 Wby.

Unless I missed it, the OP has never told us what rifle/cartridge he has now.

My current favorite cartridge for 200-400 yard deer killing is a 7mm Weatherby Magnum loaded with 150 gr TTSX. Both rifles are set up for that range. My new 6.5-300 Wby might be my future long ranger, but I haven’t had an opportunity to field test or shoot it at longer ranges. In spots where 200-250 yards is about the max range likely, my .257 Roberts usually goes along. That said, it’s more about the optics setup on those rifles and accuracy than anything else. The biggest mule deer I’ve ever killed or seen killed was at 34 yards with my .300 Weatherby. Go figure.

THIS X2

which ever one kills the animal quickly and effectively
from 2 yards out to 700yrds ny choice is the 6.5 creed
130 grain fed t/a loaded in a hornady case fed 210m primers
44.3 grains super performance vel 2890

.30-06 and a 180 grain SST

My old 7mm Rem Mag with a handloaded 160 gr Nosler Accubond.

I've got a couple .308 rifles. I shoot 150 gr. Hornady Interlocks.
.30-06 with 150 gr. Interlocks
8mm Mauser sporter 150 gr Speer Spitzers
Lots of good calibers available

For flat shooting on deer sized critters out to 400 yards, you can't beat a 257 Roy spitting 100 grainers. Mild recoil and lazer like trajectory. The 100 gr bullets start shedding velocity in a hurry after that.

Only taken two shots that far on deer in my entire hunting career and that was with my M70 .308. Killed them both. One was 300 yards in Colorado and the other 400 yards in Texas. Both dropped at the shot. All factory ammo and do not remember the bullet type or weight.

[quote=TrueGrit] Hornady really screwed the pooch with the 6.5prc.

just curious how did hornady screw the pooch with the 6.5 prc?

If keeping shots under 300 yards...223 is my top pick

7 Rem Mag or 7 STW…killed all my mulies and elk with these two calibers. 140 gr. Barnes TSX or TTSX. As luck would have it, or lack thereof…all shots have been between 252 yards and 426 being the longest for my best bull to date.

I usually use a 220 Swift for my deer hunting but that's because I'm 125 yards or less to a deer. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking shots over 200 yards with the Swift.

25-06 Rem
270 Win
270 WSM
7mm Rem Mag

I have used all these and they have very tolerable recoil.

If i were to shoot such distances at deer i have always admired the .300 WM but this cartridge is a powder hawg and in todays powder market its too hard (for me) to feed this beast.... Anyway, I rarely shoot a deer over 100yds so for the last few seasons I hunt with a .308 Win...My powder supply goes much further now...Hb

Won't think twice on a 400 yard shot with my 260 or 6.5 Creed if that's what I was toting that day . Did not see where anyone mentioned it'd out shoot the bee.

270 or 7mm08 are my choices for deer. I rarely shoot over 200 yards but there are a few spots I hunt were it might be a reality. I have a 270 weatherby Accumark that I would take if I thought all my shots would be 200-400 yards. Not sure even with that I would shoot over 300. Im just not that practiced up.

The farthest I can see is about 275. Stand is 240 from the place I took pic

Well if game in the 100-250 lbs range is all you’re going to go after the 243 Win or 6.5 Creedmoor are all you’ll ever need. Both are common and have great manufactured ammunition available. In fact a 6mm, 90 grain bullet at 3,200 fps is quite impressive on that size game. If you want a one gun that will kill 95% of the worlds game and leave you impressed and is one of the most component friendly chambers you need look no further than the 308 Win. It flattens deer size game, is easy on the shoulder and can provide deadly hunting accuracy out to 600 yards. Many 308 Win can shoot under 0.5” MOA out of the box with the right ammo and a good bedding job. I have to chuckle when many comments elude to the 308 Win as a nice 200 yard gun. They may need to review its history and its capabilities. However there’s no one answer or choice to your question it’s all about preference, game, terrain, etc. In the end the 308 Win hurls 110 gr - 200 gr bullets for just about any field condition a hunter may encounter.

would go either the 6.5CM or the 7mm-08. That approximate bullet diameter and powder capacity hits a sweet spot IMO

I took a doe (not a fawn like some call a doe) at somewhere between 310 and 320 yards with a 223 18” AR and a 77gr TMK. She went 30 yards and bled pretty good. Put one in the slats and they die. It’s not Rocket Surgery. Otherwise my favorite would be 260/6.5CM.

I shot a 270 for many years and got a lot of both deer and elk with it. I had it sighted for 200 yds. That put it 1" high at 100 and about 2" low at 300 so I could hold dead on out to 300+. That was using 150 gr bullets. It's a great caliber with 130's for deer.

For many years I used a 270, which was a great deer round. Then I bought the wife a 260, which she then decided to not use, so I used it. Works great, and I’ve used it on deer out to 275. I think of the 260 as a 270 Lite. I keep saying that this next season I’ll use the 270 again, but I don’t. Maybe next year…

For me 240 Weatherby for deer, 30-06 for everything else.

a 223 18” AR and a 77gr TMK.

My Marine son in law ( who is now a Master Gunnery Sergeant) used the similar ammo on his two sandbox tours....works just fine on Hajis! ha

In reality, a scoped Marlin 336 in 30-30 is the berries up to 200yds on deer. Loads of fun to use too!

well my favorite might be different than many others , but i use a 257 Weatherby mag. with my handloads shot out a custom Ruger #1 , 27 inch Brux barrel , Nightforce scope 100 gr. Nosler Partition 3800 fps., 200 yds is a chip shot with this combination

If you have never shot a deer over 100 yards why on earth would you reply with any type of suggestion when the thread topic is 200 yard plus?

I can't argue with that although my .240 is actually a 6mm-06. Twisted for heavy bullets it still travels flat and hits hard. It is mild recoiling and mine is very accurate so anyone can shoot it well. I have had at least 4 or 5 different shooters get behind it and make good hits on game at decent ranges with minimal practice. I lost count a long time ago on how many animals we have tagged with that rifle shooting either the 105 Berger or the 95 LRX.

Here is a pic from a hunt last fall. It was an antelope hunt but we use the same setups on deer. Any one of these would work just fine in that 200-400 yard range...



.25-06, 6mm-06, 7mm-08

And they did get the job done...

R H Forschner co. boning knife all ways gets the job done Med River still using the ones I got 48 years ago....Mb

There is one clear choice, 6.5x55 for the win!!!

.280. Dropped at doe at 235 paces. DRT. I would be comfortable with distances up to 400 yds with the rifle and that caliber. Not more than that though. I have buddies that have much longer kills, just not me.

I hunt mostly with 2 rifles 35 Whelen and 300 Weatherby. If I can see less than 200 yards on the stand I take the Whelen. If I can see to shoot farther than 200 I take the 300.

That’s what I’m talking about!

.243 for antelope is a perfect choice. - Sherwood

280 Remington, 8.5-8.75 twist, 180g ELD-M at 2700 fps using R#17, pounds real hard!

Second choice is a 7 Rem mag and wood stock 700's are amazingly accurate, bedded, bbl floated

140g Nosler ballistic tips with 65-66g of IMR 4350, Rem brass, Rem 9 1/2 shoots 3" group at 550 yards for me

162g ELDX-71g of Retumbo, fed 215, sub 3/8" at 100 yards at 3100 fps, no flies on 168g BERGER vld hunting
175g Nosler long range accubond-R#26, cci 250, 3030 fps, same load with the 180g Berger vld hunting

If your going 180 grn route you might as well just step up to a 30 cal.
280 is a good caliber for 130-160 grain bullets anything above that step up to @ .30 cal or a fast 7 mag 28:nos 7stw ,short mags etc

There is nothing in north America a 140 -150 grain slug won't kill
From the muzzle out to farther then most have the ability to shoot accurately

[quote=Bugger]7mm RM
280AI
280
270
30-06
25-06
300 Win Mag
257 Weatherby
270 Weatherby
7mm Weatherby
264 Win Mag
6.5-06 AI
6 5 CM

And then - Nosler cartridges, 8mm RM, 300 Weatherby

Having too much power or too flat shooting is better than too



YOU forgot 1 so I fixed it for you the creed is more then capable for deer our to 700+ for deer and 550 for elk

What do you have?
What do you want to use?

Probably 20+ cartridges that will meet your needs.

257 Roberts, 24" barrel, 115 NBT @ 3100fps, PBR out to 303 yards. OR 257 Roberts, 24" barrel, 100 NPT @ 3200fps, PBR out to 305 yards.

Pretty easy to get to 400yds from there with some practice.

.24, .25, or .26...

What do you normally hunt with, and what's the longest distance you frequently shoot with it?

Take what you've got and practice with it some. You'll be OK

But if you don't have a rifle in the above bore sizes you're missing a bet...

6.5x55 or 7-08 will get the job done . Under 400 yards any of my .243's with 100 grain bullets would work just as well. My choice if I was in a situation where I knew ahead of time that I was very likely to shoot over 200 or more yards would be the 6.5x55 with a bullet over 140 grains.

My 45 year old 7mm Remington Magnum shoots 150 grain NBT or Barnes TTSX very accurately. Sighted in at 225 yards it’s point & shoot to about 340 yards and only 1.5” high at 100. Holding over with a Zeiss duplex I’ve killed stuff past 500 yards since it’s an old familiar friend. In my opinion it is the perfect long range deer cartridge. Not too much recoil for experienced hunters & kills like you hit them in the head with a sledgehammer.

All the flat shooting suggestions you’ve gotten that let you hold on hair & hit vitals at 400 have a big speed of shooting advantage over your 308 or a Creedmoor that require ranging & dialing. Modern rangefinders are an affordable necessity these days and have cut into the speed kills rifle cartridge sales but the soft kickers don’t compete for shooting quickness in that 300-400 yard range.
If you add a precise dialing scope on the 7RM it extends the range past 600 depending on wind of course.

Lots of the flat shooters will work beautifully as your longer range deer gun my favorite is the 7RM but any of them work if you reload - if not pick something you can buy ammo for easily.

Usually don't have those shots but in places where I do, I use my 300 Wby..

XBolt51, the 180g ELDM has a BC of .796, kills deer and hogs hard at 2700 fps MV with a smidge of powder and lack of recoil. 162g ELDX is awesome out of the std 280 at 2900 plus a tad depending on your barrel length with Fed 210 and IMR 7828...load right out of the Nosler manual #4....works in two 700's with 24" barrels...federal 210 primers seal the deal on tight group accuracy. Same bullet out of a 7 Mag 26" is 3100 with Retumbo and Fed 215's.

BC does have something to do with impact velocity, do not forget this.

You must have sprinkled some magic fairy dust on those bullets because that trajectory can't be explained by the laws of physics.

^^ That's what I was thinking. I wish my 270 would do that with 150's.

He probably means 3 1/2" high at 100 yards with 150's...but that still doesn't explain zero at 200 yds. With 130's he would need to sight in 3" high at 100 yards.

7mm-08 or 30-06 for me. Both are great for deer in those ranges.

Well
I built a 338-06 on a Steven's 200 bolt action.
215 grn bt shots honest 3 shot Clover leafs at 200 yes off sanbags.
Shooting it feels like a big shove, not bac.
Too each his own.

At our range, we have steel set up at 200 yards. I could hit the smallest 5" plate all day long with any of my rifles. One of the chains broke on the 5" plate so it now swings loosely.

I hit the profile (5/8") of that plate 3 out of 4 attempts with my 7-08 using my reloads.

I'm in the 7MMRM caliber camp.
Many calibers can do the job 200+ yards
Practice to 300 yards plus know your wind drifts/trajectories/velocities
Keep your nose in the wind and your eyes on the horizon best of luck
I have two 7MMRM rifles.
one is a hiking and tree/timber brush gun sited to MPBR 350 yards sighted with Kentucky windage fine-plex optics 160 gr nosler partition
one is a long range precision hunting rifle light hiking and still glass hunting sited in and trajectory charts to 1144 yards night force optics Berger 180gr hunting VLD

Tough to pick one. Many will work very well. I shot one deer over 400 yards.

Cartridges that work well in my opinion start at maybe the cartridges the 6.5 loonies are all wetting their pants over through the 300 magnums.
Somewhere in the middle, say: 264, 270, 7x57, 7mm-08, 280, 284, 280AI, 7mm RM, 308, 30-06 would all work well (+similar cartridges)

The longest shot I have made on the deer was with a 30-06 with 180 CL’s and that was a little over a half mile. It was a very large buck. I was young and foolish.

If I were to pick one cartridge for deer at 400 yards, I wouldn’t go with the smaller of the above cartridges. But I seriously doubt that I’ll pull the trigger on anything except varmints that far away again.

300 RUM or 338 EDGE

The easiest one to find ammo and components for. In the Era of scamdemic and shortages I've acquired an 270win and found it the easiest for ammo and bullet components. I'd say the 6.5creed is pretty close and then 308win followed by 30-06. It's really not about favorite but more about what works and is available.

They will never come up with a deer rifle that outdoes the 270 win.

Sure, you can be more “hip” with another/ newer caliber, but out to 400 yards not one of them will be “better” and ammo avail/ price in normal times is a big plus for the 270

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Yup

.270 Winchester 130 or 140 gr bullet has worked foe me for a very long time, current favorite .270 is Tikka T3 lite

Pretty much anything you want to shoot.

I have hunted with a pre64 model 70 Winchester Super grade featherweight in .308 since I started hunting in the 70s. It started shooting a little loose last year so I bought a new CA Mesa in 6.5 CM just today. I went with that simply because there is more 6.5 ammo in my available in area other than 308 and no one has a 308 rifle available.

Its off season, components are tough to come by... yet I just kept buying when things were cheap under Trump and the shelves were full...

Last couple of months, I've been going the 3 miles over to our local range and ringing steel off the bench...at 300 and 400 yds.

caliber of choice is 223.... because I have plenty of brass... just picked up 200 plus pieces yesterday, people had discarded or just didn't pick it up.

powder of choice has been Alliant Unique... 10 grains behind a bullet weighing anywhere from 40 grains to 55 grains with 50 and 53 inbetween...

so if one can do that, any hunting caliber should be quite capable of reaching out and hitting a deer sized target at 200 yds...

Took me a lot of years of just wanting to be different and finally figured it out, the .30-06 works fine for me. The .270 and .280 work just as well

That's a pretty good and relevant assessment in my book...mb

Pretty much where the 6.5CM excels, but for me, I prefer the 270 Win over all of the 6.5s. I shoot 140s out of mine, prefer pass throughs when possible as I hunt in the GA piney woods and if they don't drop on the spot, they can be hard to find without a trail.

Thanks guys! Seven pages of "reasons" to buy a new rifle.

I'll be the boring one here:
.243
.270
30-06

Any of those 3 will get the job done and good factory ammo isn't an issue.

I would add .223 but Virginia allows nothing under.23 for deer so I've never tried any of mine deer hunting

I haven't read all of the 7 pages and didn't see what cartridge the OP is using now, but I see his solution to be one of more practice and possibly a new scope.

For the past 45 or so years I've gone to our gun range at least one evening a week throught the year to first shoot Trap and then in the last 25 years to shoot Skeet. Along with our Trap and Skeet fields our range has target boards in front of berms at 100 yard intervals from 100 yds out to 430 yards.

For many years I was like a lot of hunters where my rifle would sit in my gun safe most of the year and I would only bring it out a week or so before deer and elk season to check it's zero, then I would shoot my deer and elk and put it back in the safe until the next year.

About 10 or so years ago we began hanging steel gongs at each of the berms on our rifle range. So with the gongs available, I would do my annual "check the zero" of my hunting rifle then I would try a few shots at the gongs. Shooting at steel gongs is much more fun than shooting paper, so about 6 years ago I began bringing one of my hunting rifles with me on my weekly trips to the range, and shoot at the gongs with it. My .300 Weatherby smacks the 430 yard gong with authority, but that is not the best rifle for plinking.

I then bought a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in .223 Rem mainly for a gong plinking rifle. It's fun and econimical to shoot, but with any wind and with ear muffs on, its hard to tell the hits on the 430 yd gong. so I bought another Vanguard chambered in .308 Win. Shells for that rifle only cost about twice as much as the .223s but it smacks the longer range gongs much louder. I now take both of these rifle with me to the range every week and shoot at least 3 shots, prone, with each rifle at each of the gongs out to 430 yards.

Most of our gongs are 15" in diameter, but we also have a 9" gong at 200 yards. After a year or so of this practice I quit shooting at the 100 yard gong and starting my shooting sessions with the 200 yard gong. Again after more practice, I now start my practice with the 9" 200 yard gong, and, if I read the wind right, I expect all of my shots to hit all of the gongs, including the 430 yard gong. Practice, practice, practice.

I have Leupold scopes with their CDS turrets on 5 of my rifles. I had Leupold make a custom turret for my hunting load for my .300 Weatherby, but for my other scopes I just verified the yardage impacts at each distance and painted a fine white line on the top of the turret for each 100 yard distance: 100, 200, 300, and 430 yards. So now I just set the turret line to each distance and ring the gong.

Two of my scopes are the Leupold Freedom models, and they are just as accurate and reliable as the VX 3i models that I have on my other rifles.

After 7 pages nothing new from me. A flat shooting 257-308 caliber rifle of your choice will get the job done. Buy a decent scope at least 9 at the top - my favorite is the 3-15 neighborhood from Zeiss but there are plenty of great reliable scopes with nice glass.

My trusty longer range deer killing rifle I bought new in 7mm RM in 1977. It’s on its 6th scope a 4-16 x50 Zeiss V4 with a lighted hash mark reticle I’m still learning. Holding over I’ve killed pigs over 500 but few deer over 300 even though I’ve hunted open mountains all my life. I sight in all hunting rifles at my range at 225 yards. Takes the thinking out inside 300. I prefer having a ranged reticle available hunting because it is so much faster. We practice out to 800 yards a couple of times per year from field rest positions so inside 400 seems fairly routine. If you know what your rifle does like you know the road home shooting gets easier. Practice past 400 & gain confidence - then work on your sausage recipes.

.338 Lapua, go big or go home.

What more can be said. I was slow to get a 270, but found out what I had been missing all those years without one...

50 BMG it is then

Too many choices out there.
Out my safe it would be these, In that order
270 win with 140s TGK
6.5 CM with 130 TKG
308 once I find a load for it.
And There is always the handy and trusted 06